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***!!!!!! Still Shrieking Inside and Seeing Things - Not Lizzie But Snakey!!!!!***

I'm sitting here trying to type like an adult but I have twice seen something move out of the corner of my eye and jumped like I was shot! Wasn't going to post this and show my cur spirit and my yellow streak and void where a spine would be and have been trying to surf YT, post normally to work out my nerves but seeing the second movement has me freaked. I KNOW it is imagination and extreme nerves and nothing is there but here is what happened:

About 4:30 today I ran into PetSmart to pick up Tibbe some dog food and couldn't find his brand. Picked him up a new dog bed and got in line behind this guy at the Banfield service counter to ask about it and, as I'm walking up, am digging in my purse for my phone, etc. Standing there doing the phone stuff and look up - RIGHT INTO THE EYES OF A SNAKE!!! A BLOODY SNAKE! (It wasn't really bloody I just want to use a swear word and I can't so Sally & Harry will understand I am cussing-unnerved here.)

This man had a darn(not my word of choice) around his neck, with its beady eyes right at my eye level and soooooo close! So, to make a long story short - I'm severely snake phobic. Severely. More than severely. Crazy snake phobic! I just began going backward and flailing my arms, not seeing anything and certainly not breathing anymore. I wanted to scream and nothing was coming out. Here is the embarrassing part - one of the vets came out & I almost ran to her and stood behind her like a 4 year old. She asked me how to help, I guess I croaked out what I was there for and then said "snake - snake" & pointed like a 2 year old. Well, the manager came, got my dog food and saw me out. Don't really remember the drive home.

I swear I am seeing Mr. Snakey out of the corner of my eye and getting recreeped all over again. I have NEVER been that close to a snake and certainly not a big one like that. That guy had some type of carrier & why the blank he didn't have that thing in it, I will never know. Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!! My skin has those goose bumps on it all over again. I do not know how my system stood it. I really don't. But I know this - there won't be much sleeping in this house tonight as I'm jumping at everything. Even Tibbe! And if Lizzie should reappear tonight somehow on the same day I had to meet Mr. Snakey up close & personal, you all will likely never hear of me again.

__________________Jeanie and TibbeOne must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

Ok...not funny at all!!! I would have fainted dead away at the checkout. I can't believe someone was walking around in a store with a snake around their neck and that they let it get that close to another patron in the store.

Jeanie I would have done the same thing! Snakes scare me so bad! YOur story reminds me of when I picked Georgie up from the Vet after his dental. I walk up to discharge and look up at a Rat staring at me!!!!! The guy in front of me had a Rat on his shoulder!!!! I thought I was going to fall out! I walked around to the other desk and politely asked if I could check out there. Thankfully they said yes!

Jeanie I would have done the same thing! Snakes scare me so bad! YOur story reminds me of when I picked Georgie up from the Vet after his dental. I walk up to discharge and look up at a Rat staring at me!!!!! The guy in front of me had a Rat on his shoulder!!!! I thought I was going to fall out! I walked around to the other desk and politely asked if I could check out there. Thankfully they said yes!

For those of us that are phobic, it is so traumatic and those that don't have the fear can never ever ever ever understand the fear and the revulsion and the outrage at someone forcing you to unexpectedly face something so awful to you. Thinking back, that thing was wrapped around his neck and its old head was obviously coming toward me to check me out - I guess when it sensed my warmth! Yuuuuuck. If I hadn't looked up when I did and if that thing had somehow touched me, I'd likely be tied down in the mental home right now getting massive injections of drugs to just shut off the screaming! I wonder how much of that stuff it would take to shut me down. Only God and my sister know how I hate those things! (She's got the same phobia.)

__________________Jeanie and TibbeOne must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

I don't think you have anything to be embarrassed about. My brother was one of those snake people. He always had one on him when out in public and was known to get kicked out of places when one would stick its head out from an arm sleeve. I learned to tolerate them and kind of enjoy handling one once in a while, but I totally understand the fear some people have of them. I think the people handling them should be considerate and not assume the person standing next to them is ok with one. (My brother always thought it was funny to scare the Wal-Mart cashier...really...it is NOT funny) He could have given you some kind of warning he had a snake. At least, generally with a dog, you see it before you approach a person and can voluntarily choose to keep your distance. Snakes blend in so well that they do take you by surprise and can potentially cause a medical emergency. I'm glad you were able to make it home even if you don't remember the drive.

Oh, Shelly, it did blend in with his actual coloring. Even if I'd been looking up I don't know if I'd have noticed it until it stuck its head out. It was - yuck - blonde colored with some type pale, rust-colored spots on it. The guy was pale, blonde and had rust spots on his face and neck - I guess from sun. It was soooo gross and so awful to face something you are so repulsed and fear right there in your face. I am still jumpy! Eeeeewwwwww.

__________________Jeanie and TibbeOne must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

OMGosh! I'm laughing so hard I'm crying... not at you but your story was so well written I felt like I was right there!

I also had extreme snake phobia, and I still don't like strange snakes in my face, not crazy about ones I know in my face for that matter.

I've done a huge amount of thinking on this subject... of my snake fear. It all boils down to the fear of death...by snake. Once I realized they normally do not kill people, I lost the fear and/or worked through it... the very traumatic part of it anyway, the part that immobilizes me.

So I will tell you what you need to know. If a big constrictor starts to wrap tightly around your neck (deadly situation), you need to start at the tail end and unwind it, or tell people to help you do this to get the snake off. This will save your life.

If you come across a snake in your yard, grab a trashcan lid (one with the handle in the center), you can block any strikes with it, or your umbrella. Then back slowly away from it.

The majority of snakes eat rodents. If they bite your hand and don't let go right away, if you carry water, pour some in it's mouth, it will let go. If you don't have water, remain still. It will not eat you. As soon as it realizes you are not a rodent, it will let go.

Don't try to pull your hand out of it's mouth, their teeth point towards their thoat and it will make the bite worse. Or if you are with friends, they can slide two credit cards between your skin and the snake's teeth. Once the credit cards are blocking the teeth, you'll be able to slide your hand out.

I've had worse bites and infections from dogs and cats, and they are much more painful. Now if you've read this post, even subconsciously these tools will be in your mind, and in an instance of extreme fear, you'll remember how to get yourself out of a dangerous situation. Snakes may hurt you, but they can't kill you when you know what to do.

OMGosh! I'm laughing so hard I'm crying... not at you but your story was so well written I felt like I was right there!

I also had extreme snake phobia, and I still don't like strange snakes in my face, not crazy about ones I know in my face for that matter.

I've done a huge amount of thinking on this subject... of my snake fear. It all boils down to the fear of death...by snake. Once I realized they normally do not kill people, I lost the fear and/or worked through it... the very traumatic part of it anyway, the part that immobilizes me.

So I will tell you what you need to know. If a big constrictor starts to wrap tightly around your neck (deadly situation), you need to start at the tail end and unwind it, or tell people to help you do this to get the snake off. This will save your life.

If you come across a snake in your yard, grab a trashcan lid (one with the handle in the center), you can block any strikes with it, or your umbrella. Then back slowly away from it.

The majority of snakes eat rodents. If they bite your hand and don't let go right away, if you carry water, pour some in it's mouth, it will let go. If you don't have water, remain still. It will not eat you. As soon as it realizes you are not a rodent, it will let go.

Don't try to pull your hand out of it's mouth, their teeth point towards their thoat and it will make the bite worse. Or if you are with friends, they can slide two credit cards between your skin and the snake's teeth. Once the credit cards are blocking the teeth, you'll be able to slide your hand out.

I've had worse bites and infections from dogs and cats, and they are much more painful. Now if you've read this post, even subconsciously these tools will be in your mind, and in an instance of extreme fear, you'll remember how to get yourself out of a dangerous situation. Snakes may hurt you, but they can't kill you when you know what to do.

OMG Seriously!!!???? You have this written out so calmly. If one bites my hand I will surely die! At least from a heart attack!! And I am just guessing but I think Jeanie will be the same way!

I'm truly not fearful of dying from a snake bite. It is crazier than that. I hate the very idea of snakes - they offend me for just being. Sounds crazy I know & I can't explain it but I'm just as revulsed by them as I am fearful of them. I truly don't think they can hurt me in any way - they'd have to catch me first! But they can make me hurt myself or someone else should that person try to scare or tease me with one. I have NEVER been touched by one. I recently came to the notion that I could maybe work up the nerve over time to touch one but after today, I know that was a flight of fancy. I don't like anything creepy or crawly but snakes are the worst to me. I've honestly tried to like them, desensitize to them but I really can't. Eww. Ewwww. Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwww.

__________________Jeanie and TibbeOne must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis

OMGosh! I'm laughing so hard I'm crying... not at you but your story was so well written I felt like I was right there!

I also had extreme snake phobia, and I still don't like strange snakes in my face, not crazy about ones I know in my face for that matter.

I've done a huge amount of thinking on this subject... of my snake fear. It all boils down to the fear of death...by snake. Once I realized they normally do not kill people, I lost the fear and/or worked through it... the very traumatic part of it anyway, the part that immobilizes me.

So I will tell you what you need to know. If a big constrictor starts to wrap tightly around your neck (deadly situation), you need to start at the tail end and unwind it, or tell people to help you do this to get the snake off. This will save your life.

If you come across a snake in your yard, grab a trashcan lid (one with the handle in the center), you can block any strikes with it, or your umbrella. Then back slowly away from it.

The majority of snakes eat rodents. If they bite your hand and don't let go right away, if you carry water, pour some in it's mouth, it will let go. If you don't have water, remain still. It will not eat you. As soon as it realizes you are not a rodent, it will let go.

Don't try to pull your hand out of it's mouth, their teeth point towards their thoat and it will make the bite worse. Or if you are with friends, they can slide two credit cards between your skin and the snake's teeth. Once the credit cards are blocking the teeth, you'll be able to slide your hand out.

I've had worse bites and infections from dogs and cats, and they are much more painful. Now if you've read this post, even subconsciously these tools will be in your mind, and in an instance of extreme fear, you'll remember how to get yourself out of a dangerous situation. Snakes may hurt you, but they can't kill you when you know what to do.

The keep calm part of this had me giggling. LOL My brother always kept alcohol close by for his snakes if they were to get aggressive. Any form of alcohol will work, the rubbing alcohol or the beverage. When splashed onto a constrictor it instantly cools them and causes their muscles to release. (I suggest the drinkable kind. You might want any leftovers.)

The keep calm part of this had me giggling. LOL My brother always kept alcohol close by for his snakes if they were to get aggressive. Any form of alcohol will work, the rubbing alcohol or the beverage. When splashed onto a constrictor it instantly cools them and causes their muscles to release. (I suggest the drinkable kind. You might want any leftovers.)

Great! Now I find they're drunks, too, zoning out on alcohol! Gross! Even details of their lives are too disgusting.

__________________Jeanie and TibbeOne must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis